Based on the articles, it sounds like USA needed any DRAMA to get attention back to figure skating on t.v.! I think if the USA can recreate another Michelle Kwan equivalent it will bring the media to figure skating. Media likes star quality - good looking dominant figure skater like Michelle or Mao Asada. The USA has a fair share of excellent male figure skaters the latest being Lysacek so I don't know why male figure skaters seem to attract less attention. Lysacek is tall and good looking. I think he should go into movie acting. Perhaps, what the media prefer is a princess image? Gracie is very pretty and a strong skater. If she develops more polish, she has the chance of doing well and winning medals in the next few years.

Michelle Kwan at the height of her career 98-2005 saw TV ratings DECLINE to the point that ABC/ESPN wanted no part of it by the time their contract ran out. Some point to the CoP as the reason, but it was in a steady decline well before that.

Michelle Kwan at the height of her career 98-2005 saw TV ratings DECLINE to the point that ABC/ESPN wanted no part of it by the time their contract ran out. Some point to the CoP as the reason, but it was in a steady decline well before that.

That is why I am not optimistic about the argument that all we need is a new charismatic ice princess to set things right. In 1998 we had Tara and Michelle, with Michelle continuing to win titles for another six years. We had an Olympic ladies champion in 2002. We had beautiful, wow-worthy Sasha coming on the scene. All to no avail.

I don't even think that another knee-whack would do the trick. These days we are used to athletes acting like thugs.

That is why I am not optimistic about the argument that all we need is a new charismatic ice princess to set things right. In 1998 we had Tara and Michelle, with Michelle continuing to win titles for another six years. We had an Olympic ladies champion in 2002. We had beautiful, wow-worthy Sasha coming on the scene. All to no avail.

I don't even think that another knee-whack would do the trick. These days we are used to athletes acting like thugs.

Different times, shifts in cultural tastes.

Agreed.

There's just too much for the consumer to choose... too many channels, too many sports, too much RIGHT NOW... at your fingertips...

The problem is figure skating IMO has become an anachronism. I would venture to guess that the die-hard fans grew up with skating in the 70s and 80s or earlier when there weren't 1000 cable channels. Also, after GenX new 'modern' ultimate sports were added to the Winter Games which the younger generation/s found more appealing. Throw in the staid, boring, ultra-conservative leaders in skating, and it just left a bad taste. Of course this crazy judging system which hardly anyone understands which only led to the same cookie cutter type programs with the same elements made it lose its aesthetic upperhand compared to other regular Olympic sports.

When I was in college in the early 80s, a show called "International Stars on Ice" came to our campus hockey arena (at Bowling Green State University in Ohio) twice. Tickets were under $10.00, there was no secure area for the skaters (just mixing and mingling among the spectators), and I got everyone's autographs (Hamilton, Zayak, Peter and Kitty, Boitano (name misspelled in the program-Biotano), Rosalynn Summers, Judy Blumberg & Michael Seibert, Canadians Tracey Wainman, Brian Pockar, many others. My, the times have surely changed!